Changeable exhibitor



June 4, 1946.

L. GRossMAN' 2,401,478

CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR `Fume 4, 1946.

L. GRQssMAN C HANGEABLE EXHIBITOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1945 June 4, 1946. 2,401,478

L. GRoss'MAN CHANGEABLE `EXHIBITOR Filed May 9, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. Grossman Patented June 4, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Lee Grossman, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 9, 1945, Serial N0. 592,785

(Cl. llll-65) 6 Claims. l

This invention relates generally to the class of signals and indicators and pertains particularly to an indicator designed for use in connection with games for designating certain periods of play.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device designed primarily for use in the playing of football, to designate the downs, the device being constructed and arranged in a novel manner whereby it may be easily and quickly moved around from place to place in the eld and, by the manipulation of certain control levers by the person attending upon the device, specific units of the device may be selectively displayed to indicate whether there is a rst, second, third or fourth down.

More specifically the invention broadly contemplates the provision of a plurality of hollow signal units or boxes, two of which are ixed together against relative movement and are mounted upon a supporting pole or standard one partially within and above the other, with three intermediate telescopically arranged boxes disposed between the rst two and designed to be selectively extended by means of control levers, from the lower and outer xed box upwardly around the upper and inner fixed box, the said upper xed box and the three relatively movable boxes carrying upon their several sides the down designating numerals. For example, the inner fixed signal box carries upon each of its sides the numeral 1. The next larger and outer box which is movable upwardly around the inner iixed box, carries upon each of its sides the numeral 2. The. third movable box carries the numeral "3 upon each of its sides and the fourth movable box carries the numeral Il upon each of its sides. When all of the movable boxes are lowered within the lower-fixed signal box they will be completely hidden and only the numeral 1, designating the iirst down will be visible upon the upper xed box. The lower fixed signal box will have each of its sides marked with the-word down The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not conned to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified'so long as such changes or modiiications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the exhibitor constituting thev present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the top part only of the exhibitor showing one of the boxes partly raised.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the top part of the exhibitor showing the three movable boxes in different stages of elevation.

Figure 6 is a partial vertical section taken on the line S-I of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a partial vertical section taken on the line l-l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section taken transversely of the standard and showing in full and dotted lines the two positions which may be assumed by an actuating lever in the raised position.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the 9 9 of Figure 8.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral IU generally designates the supporting pole or standard for the signal device, the lower end of which pole is preferably pointed as indicated at I I for easy penetration of the turf so that the device may be readily maintained in upright position.

Upon the upper endof the pole is fixed the base plate I 2 upon which the hereinafter described signal boxes are supported. This plate,

line

' together with the boxes supported thereby, is

preferably square in outline and it is. dened at its outer Yedge by the upstanding flange I3 while at its center it has formed the integral sleeve I4 which extends down into the pole I 0, which is of hollow form, where it is secured in any suitable manner as by welding or the like.

Supported upon the plate I2 is the relatively long vertically disposed fixed outer box which is generally designated I5 and which is of square cross section, the bottom part of the box being tted over the flange I3 of the bottom plate and secured thereto by the screws I6 or in any other suitable manner. The top end of thebox I5 is open and each of the four sides I'I has printed or otherwise formed'thereon the word down It is preferred that the coloring of the letters contrast strongly with the background of the wall I'I upon which the word is printed so that it may be readily seen or read from a distance. The letters may be of luminous character so as to clearly show up when used at night games.

Supported upon the plate I2 and extending upwardly through the outer fixed box I5 and to a distance above the box substantially equal to the height of the box, are the two fixed channel standards I8. These are disposed at opposite sides of the center of the base plate with the channel sides in opposed relation and at their lower ends they have the laterally turned ears I9 which rest upon the top of the base plate and are riveted thereto while at their upper ends they are connected by the cross braces 2|).

Enclosing the channel standards is the inner fixed signal box 2| which is of square cross section and upon the outer face of each of the side walls 22 of which is printed the numeral 1.

The fixed signal box 2| is of a width materially less than the xed box I5 in which it is centrally located so that a considerable space is left between the four sides of the two fixed boxes and more particularly between the outer sides of the channel standards and the adjacent walls of the xed box I5, since the fixed inner and upper box 2| is secured to the tops ofthe standards I8 as shown and only has a small portion of its 4lower end lying within the lower fixed box I5. The upper fixed box 2|is of a vheight substantially equal to the height of the lower box and when viewed from the side the upper fixed box appears to be a smaller extension upwardly of the lower boX.

Enclosed within the lower fixed box I5 and nested in the area between the two boxes are the three shiftable boxes which'are designated 23, 24 and 25.

The innermost one of the three shiftable boxes, that is, the box 23, has the numeral 2 upon each of its four sides while the next outer box 24 has the numeral 3 upon each of its four sides and the 'last outer movable box has the numeral 4 upon each of its four sides.

Extending across the lower end of each of the boxes 23, 24 and 25, is a bar 25. These bars are arranged in different vertical planes within the structure as shown in Figure 4 and they are of different lengths corresponding with the width of the lower end of the box in which each bar is fitted.

Each lifting bar 26 terminates ateach end in the spaced arms 2'! and the ends of these arms position against the inner sides of the box to which the bar is attached and are formed to receive securing screws 28 which pass through the sides of the box.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoingthat the longer one of the lifting bars2f3 will be disposed in the lower, end of the outer movable box 25, the next longest lifting bar 26 being withinI the lower end of the intermediate movable box 24 and the shorter lifting bar 26 being within the lower end of the inner movable box 23. Thus the inner box 23 may be raised, or lowered, independently of the boxes 24 and 25 and when it is in raised position, the next box 24 may also be raised to cover the box 23 and lastly, when the two boxes 23 and 24 are raised, the outermost box 25 may be raised to cover the box 24.

When the boxes 23, 24 and 25 are lowered within the lower fixed box I5 they will be ccmpletely housed therein and the lower edge vof the intermediate box 24 may rest upon the cross bar 26 of the outer box 25 while the lower edge of the inner movable box 23 may rest upon the 4 crossbar 26 which is attached to the lower end of the intermediate box 24.

The crossbars 26 each has a suitable opening formed therein as indicated at 29, midway between its ends and fastened in such opening is an end of a lifting rod 30 which extends downwardly into the tubular pole or standard I0.

The rods 30 are of different length and each is attached at its lower end to a circular terminal block 3| which is located within the tubular standard or pole I0.

The blocks 3| are three in number, corresponding to the number of rods 30 and they are arranged one above the other within the pole. The uppermost one of the blocks 3| has attached thereto the lower end of that rod 30 which is coupled with the innermost movable Ibox 23. The rod 33 attached to the intermediate movable box 24 extends freely through an opening in the upper block 3| to and is secured in the next lower or intermediate block 3| while the third rod 3U, which is attached to the outer movable box 25 passes through openings in both the uppermost and intermediate blocks and is secured to the lowermost block 3|, -as illustrated in Figure 7.

Each of the blocks preferably has a depending skirt portion 3| integral therewith which has contact with the wall of the standard IU and serves to maintain the block in proper position.

It will be readily obvious from the foregoing that the uppermost block may be shifted vertically when desired to lift the innermost or numeral "2 bearing box 23, the block sliding upwardly freely on the other two rods. Likewise the intermediate and lower box may be lifted when desired. The means for affecting the lifting of the blocks 3| and the boxes connected thereto through the medium of the rods 3D, comprises a lever arm 32 for each block 3|, which extends through a guide slot 33 formed in the wall of the tubularpole and at its inner end is secured in the top of the block which it is employed to shift. These levers 32 are in a common vertical plane, when the blocks and the attached movable boxes are in fully lowered position but each lever is, turned downwardly at its inner end, where it connects with the block, to form a pivot 34 by which it may be oscillated, transversely of the pole III, to facilitate the proper positioning of the levers when assembling the parts in the standard.

In order to facilitate the movement of the three movableboxes and the maintenance of the same in the proper spaced relation, guide or track forming angle bars 31 are secured along certain of the corners of each of the movable boxes and of the upper or central fixed box as Shown in Figures 3 and 5.

The upper ends of the boxes are covered by the plate member 38 which overlies and is secured to the top of the central xed box member 2|, as shown most particularly in Figure 6.

In the use of the present down marker, the same is maintained in vertical position at the desired location on the playing field and at the start of play all of the handle levers 32 will be in lowered position, as shown in Figure 1, so that the movable boxes 23, 24 and 25 will be housed within the lower fixed box or casing I5 and thus hidden entirely from view. 'Ihere will then be displayed to the spectators of the game in association with which the device is used, the word down, which is maintained on view at all times. and the numeral 1. At the completion of play,

when a second down is to be designated, the attendant of the device raises the uppermost handle lever 32 to the top position. This raises the innermost movable box 23 which covers the central or fixed box 2l and exposes the numeral 2 to the spectators. The next or intermediate movable box may then be shifted upwardly in the same manner at the proper time and when the fourth down comes up, the last movable box, designated 25, may be shifted upwardly and maintained in place. After the four downs have been had or played the handle levers 32 are all shifted back down in the slot 33 and the movable boxes thus allowed to return in nested relation within the casing box l5.

I claim:

1. An exhibitor of the character described, comprising a pair of bodies of substantially equal length, one of the bodies having a materially greater girth than the other, means maintaining the bodies in a xed relation and on a common longitudinal axis, the body of greater girth being hollow and open at one end, the other body being arranged with its major portion disposed outside the hollow body at the open end thereof, the bodies being arranged vertically for use with the body of greater girth below the other body, a hollow box-like body having a girth intermediate the girths of the pair of bodies and encircling the said other body and freely movable longitudinally thereof into and out of the body of greater girth, the bodies being designed to bear exhibition material upon their sides, and means for moving the box-like body into and out of the body of greater girth, into and out of encasing relation with the body of smaller girth.

2. An exhibitor of the character in claim l, with a supporting standard attached at one end to the lower end of the body of greatest girth, the said means for moving the box-like body including a rod attached to the box-like body and extending downwardly in parallel relation with the standard, a lever connected with said rod forming a handle for the manipulation of the rod, and means for coupling the lever with the standard when the box-like body has been moved by the rod into encircling relation with the said other body.

3. An exhibitor of the character described in claim 1, with a tubular standard connected at one end with the lower end of the body of greatest girth, the said means for moving the box-like body including an actuating rod connected at one end with the box-like body and extending downwardly into the tubular standard, a tubular standard having a longitudinally extending wall slot, a handle lever connected with the other end of the rod and extending through said slot and adapted to move longtiudinally therein, and means for securing the handle lever to the standard when the lever has been moved to a position in the slot in which the box-like body is in encircling relation with the said other body.

4. An exhibitor of the character described, comprising a pair of bodies of substantially equal length, one of the bodies having a materially greater girth than the other, means maintaining the bodies in a xed relation and on a common longitudinal axis, the body of greater girth being hollow and open at one end thereof, the bodies being arranged vertically for use with the body of greater girth below the other body, a plurality of hollow box-like bodies arranged in nested relation in the body of greatest girth and outside the said other body, means comprising a tubular standard for supporting the bodies, said bodies being designed to bear exhibition material upon their sides, means for shifting each of said nested box-like bodies out of the lower body into encircling relation with the said other body, comprising a rod connected with each box-like body and extending downwardly into said tubulaistandard, a handle lever attached to each of said rods, said tubular standard having a longitudinal slot through which the handle levers extend, and means for securing each of said handle levers when it has been moved a predetermined distance in the slot to extend the box-like body with which it is coupled to exhibiting position outside the lower box.

5. An exhibitor of the character stated, comprising a hollow body of substantial length and open at one end, a standard connected with the other end of the body to support the same vertically, a frame structure secured to the hollow body and extending upwardly from the interior thereof to a substantial height above the open upper end, a box-like body of substantial length carried by the frame structure above the open upper end of the hollow body, in vertical position and coaxial with the hollow body, said boxlike body being xed to the standard and having a girth materially less than the hollow body, a plurality of hollow box-like bodies arranged in nested relation in the hollow body and adapted for extension through the open top thereof into encasing relation with the fixed box-like body, the said bodies being designed to have exhibition material upon the outer sides thereof, and means connected with the said nested 'box-like bodies and operable from a position rbelow the hollow body for effecting the individual extension of the nested bodies into encasing relation with the xed body.

6. An exhibitor of the character stated in claim 5, in which said standard is of tubular form, the said means for shifting the nested bodies comprising a rod connected at one end with each nested body and extending downwardly into the tubular` standard, a lever handle connected with each rod, the tubular standard having a longitudinal slot through which the lever handles extend to their respective rods, and means for coupling each lever handle with the tubular standard when the lever handle has been shifted to a predetermined position in the slot for the extension of the box-like body coupled therewith to exhibiting position.

LEE GROSSMAN. 

